'Léif Lëtzebuerger' Grand Duchess Charlotte's defiant WWII broadcasts

Luxembourg's Grand Duchess Charlotte, who broadcast regularly from London to the Grand Duchy between 1940 and 1944Photo: LW archive

This week Luxembourg celebrates 100 years Princess Charlotte of Nassau-Weilburg became Grand Duchess Luxembourg. This article examines the role during WW2 she played broadcasting messages of hope back to her home country while still in exile in the UK.

During World War Two, Britain's state broadcaster BBC played a crucial role in allowing Luxembourg's exiled Grand Duchess Charlotte to communicate with an occupied Luxembourg population.

On 5 September 1940, the voice of Grand Duchess Charlotte reached Luxembourg over the BBC's airwaves, for the first time.

In her speech she appealed to the country not to give up hope, saying that by going into exile she was able to appeal to the allies to fight for the freedom of the country.

Listen to an extract of the actual broadcast speech at the end of the article.

Foreign Minister Joseph Besch, also in exile with the government in London, arranged with the BBC to have a regular Luxembourg programme.

Under an agreement with the foreign office, there was a five minute programme at 8pm on the last day of the month, for months with 30 days, and a 15 minute programme on the last day of the month for months with 31 days.

On 29 December 1940, the Luxembourg national anthem was broadcast by the BBC for the first time.

In March 1941 a new deal was struck, with the Luxembourg programme scheduled from 8am to 8.15am every Sunday.

Léon Clasen, son of Luxembourg's honorary consul to London, was placed in charge of managing the broadcast.

From March 1943 Luxembourg was then entitled to four weekly broadcasts lasting 15 minutes.

Some of a Grand Duchess Charlotte speech broadcast on BBC in London to LuxembourgPhoto: LW archive

Starting October 1943, the London to Luxembourg programme aired daily, with special segments dedicated to important events such as the general strike in September 1942 or the silver throne jubilee of the Grand Duchess in 1944.

Luxembourgers were updated on political events, but also the lives of the Grand Ducal family in exile.

Charlotte herself frequently contributed to the programmes.

Between 1940 and December 1944 she made over a dozen speeches via radio.

Among them was a compassionate speech on 13 September 1942, in which she directly addressed the forced recruits and their families.

Her husband, Prince Félix, also went on air, dedicating a speech to the youth of Luxembourg on 28 July 1943.

Nazi forces in Luxembourg meanwhile responded to the defiant Grand Duchess by frequently turning off electricity during broadcast times.

However, the radio was not the only media to sympathise with the occupation of Luxembourg by the Nazis. Interviews and articles on the Grand Duchy appeared in a number of UK publications, including the Daily Mirror.

In the US, the Luxembourg government took matters into its own hands, publishing the Luxembourg Bulletin with news about the Grand Duchy.

Via the BBC, the Grand Duchess announced the impending liberation of Luxembourg on 25 December 1944.

Less than five months later she would return to her homeland.

Extract of Grand Duchess Charlotte's first BBC broadcast

Translation of speech extract:

"This is not supposed to be a political address. This is only a greeting to all those that have to live under a foreign reign.

It is a greeting from the depths of my heart and I am happy and grateful to address this to you finally.

I know and I feel it – you all stand like one man in your loyalty to the throne and the homeland. More than ever, we want to remain what we are: a free and independent Luxembourg."